Scouring body

ABSTRACT

A scouring body ( 1 ) is provided that includes a textile fabric ( 2 ). The textile fabric ( 2 ) is provided with a scouring agent composition ( 3 ), wherein the scouring agent composition ( 3 ) comprises a binder ( 4 ) and scouring particles ( 5 ). The textile fabric ( 2 ) has a cleaning surface ( 6 ) with a relief pattern ( 7 ). The fabric ( 2 ) is arranged on a sponge body ( 8 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a scouring body including a textile fabric.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A scouring body having a textile fabric as the supporting material that has been provided with a scouring agent composition is known from DE 298 02 421 U1. The textile fabric comprises a non-woven material that has been mechanically needle-punched or hydraulically entangled. A scouring agent composition, which contains a chemical binder and abrasive particles, is applied to the fabric. As a result of the abrasive action of the scouring agent composition, the known scouring body is suitable for absorbing aqueous substances and for loosening firmly adhered dirt.

A disadvantageous aspect of a thin, flexibly constructed scouring body is that the ability to transfer force is limited as a result of the limited grasping possibilities. Moreover, the transfer of force takes place predominantly at the location at which pressure is applied to the scouring body.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, an object of the invention is to provide a scouring body with more effective force transfer.

To this end, a textile fabric is arranged on a sponge body. The textile fabric is constructed from synthetic fibers in the form of a non-woven material, and it is preferably hydraulically entangled. The thickness of the fabric is between 0.8 and 3 mm, and the weight per unit surface area is between 50 and 200 g/mm². Such fabrics have a low weight per unit surface area and low thickness with a simultaneously high tensile strength. The sponge body forms a supporting material that offers a plurality of grasping possibilities. Effective force can thereby be exerted in different ways on the fabric that has been provided with the scouring agent composition, so that good cleaning efficiency arises in the case of firmly adhered dirt. The relief pattern improves the cleaning action of the scouring body. The relief pattern can be formed by means of a knop structure, wherein the knops are arranged hexagonally. Clogging of the abrasive surface by the contaminant can thereby be avoided since the dirt accumulates in the depressions between the knops and therefore does not affect the scouring action.

The sponge body can be formed from an open-cell synthetic foam or a natural foam material. In particular, the foam can thereby be formed from polyurethane or viscose. Foams of these materials can be economically manufactured and exhibit good mechanical properties so that they can be readily grasped and can transfer forces well.

An additional textile fabric can be arranged on the sponge body. The scouring body is preferably constructed in the form of a parallelepiped, with two main surfaces. The fabric with the scouring agent composition can be arranged on the first main surface. The additional textile fabric is arranged on the second main surface opposite the first main surface. Likewise, this fabric preferably comprises a non-woven material of synthetic fibers, wherein the non-woven material is constructed in such a way that the additional fabric has high water absorption. The first main surface can then be used for the post-treatment of surfaces that have already been cleaned with the second main surface which serves for the absorption of liquids.

The additional fabric may contain micro-fibers. Micro-fibers have a fiber diameter that is less than 1 μm. The fabrics that comprise the micro-fibers can have a high absorption capacity for liquids such as water and fats.

The scouring agent composition can contain glass granulates. Glass granulates exhibit high hardness and are especially suitable for cleaning glass or ceramic surfaces, such as cooking areas and fireplaces screens.

The binder can be latex-, phenol resin- and/or acrylate-based. A phenol resin-based binder has a high hardness and a high abrasion resistance. In another embodiment, the binder can be acrylate-based. Acrylate-based binders have a pleasant feel. Latex-based binders have high elasticity. Mixtures of latex binders and phenol resin binders have a high bending strength as a result of the phenol resin, with the bending strength being sufficiently reduced by the latex fraction that the scouring body can be wrung out well. In another embodiment, the binder can comprise a mixture of acrylate and phenol resin. The properties of the two binder materials can influence the feel and hardness of the material. The binder can thereby be formed on the fabric in such a way that it is essentially impermeable to water. Thus, during cleaning, a film of cleaning liquid can remain between the fabric with the scouring agent composition and the surface that is to be cleaned. Dirt is dissolved in the cleaning liquid, which results in gentle and effective cleaning of the surface to be cleaned. The binder can also be formed in such a way that the fabric is torsionally rigid. Especially good force transfer thereby results with an improved cleaning action with respect to firmly adhered dirt. Additional binders that are possible are melamine resin, nitrile rubber, polyurethane or compounds comprising all the designated binders.

The sponge body can be in the form of a quadrilateral, wherein the edges have curved contours. Thus, areas that can only be reached with difficulty can be cleaned efficiently. Moreover, with such a configuration, the sponge body can be grasped in a number of different ways.

The opposing edges can be constructed in a relatively congruent manner. The scouring body is usually manufactured from a flat intermediate product by a punching out process. A waste free and therefore economical manufacture of scouring bodies with a curved edge configuration can thereby result from this type of shaping process.

The scouring body can have a thickness of 2 through 5 cm. Many grasping possibilities and good force transfer result particularly with a thickness of 4 cm for the scouring body.

Because of its advantageous configuration, the scouring body described above is particularly suitable for use in the cleaning of glass and/or ceramic surfaces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the scouring body in accordance with the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary scouring body according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic lateral cross-sectional view of the scouring body of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a scouring body 1 particularly for cleaning glass and/or ceramic surfaces. The scouring body 1 comprises a textile fabric 2 that forms a cleaning surface 6 with a relief pattern 7 that is formed from projecting knops. The fabric 2 is arranged on a sponge body 8 and is joined to it in a material-fitting manner by an adhesive. In the illustrated embodiment, the sponge body 8 is formed from open-cell polyurethane foam. The scouring body 1 is constructed in the form of a quadrilateral, and the edges 10, 11, 12, 13 of the scouring body 1 have curved contours. The mutually opposing edges 10, 11 and 12, 13 are constructed in a relatively congruent manner. The illustrated scouring body 1 has a thickness of 4 cm. An additional textile fabric 9 is arranged on the side of the sponge body 8 located opposite the cleaning surface 6 and contains micro-fibers with a fiber diameter of less than 1 μm. The additional fabric 9 is also joined to the sponge body 8 in a material-fitting manner by means of an adhesive.

FIG. 2 shows the scouring body 1 of FIG. 1 in a different view. The fabric 2 comprises a hydraulically entangled non-woven material made up of synthetic fibers of different weight per unit surface area that are between 50 and 200 g/m². The fabric 2 is provided with a scouring agent composition 3 that contains a binder 4 and scouring particles 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the binder 4 comprises a composition containing a latex and phenol resin. The scouring particles 5 comprise glass granulates. The composition of the binder 4 is selected in such a way that the fabric 2 is constructed so that it is impermeable to water, torsionally rigid and can be wrung out well. The properties of the binder 4 can be realized via a subsequently applied heat treatment. The total thickness of the fabric 2 is between 0.9 and 2 mm.

In order to manufacture the scouring body 1, a textile fabric 2, formed from a non-woven material, can be first manufactured from a fiber material. The binding of the textile fabric 2 can be effected by hydraulic entanglement. The cleaning surface 6 can be shaped in the same process step. The relief pattern 7 with the knops can also be produced via hydraulic entanglement. The scouring agent composition 3 can be produced by mixing the binder composition 4 with the scouring particles 5 that comprise glass granulates. The scouring agent composition 3 can be sprayed onto the cleaning surface 6. The fabric 2 can be heat-treated in an oven to fully cure the scouring agent composition 3. The fabric 2 can then be adhesively attached to a flat intermediate product that comprises an open-cell polyurethane foam material. In other embodiments, the sponge body 8 can also consist of viscose. An additional fabric 9 can be adhesively attached to the opposite side. The scouring body 1 with the curved edges 10, 11, 12, 13 can then be punched out of the flat intermediate product. 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A scouring body comprising: a textile fabric including a scouring agent composition comprising a binder and scouring particles, the textile fabric having a cleaning surface with a relief pattern; and a sponge body on which the textile fabric is arranged.
 12. The scouring body in accordance with claim 11, wherein the sponge body is formed from an open-cell synthetic foam or a natural foam material.
 13. The scouring body in accordance with claim 11, further including an additional textile fabric arranged on the sponge body.
 14. The scouring body in accordance with claim 13, wherein the additional textile fabric contains micro-fibers.
 15. The scouring body in accordance with one of claim 1, wherein the scouring agent composition includes glass granulates.
 16. The scouring body in accordance with one of claim 1, wherein the binder is latex-, phenol resin- and/or acrylate-based.
 17. The scouring body in accordance with one of claim 1, wherein the sponge body has a quadrilateral form with edges having curved contours.
 18. The scouring body in accordance with claim 17, wherein pairs of opposing edges are substantially congruent.
 19. The scouring body in accordance with claim 1, wherein the scouring body has a thickness of between approximately 2 cm and approximately 5 cm.
 20. A method of using the scouring body of claim 1 for a cleaning of glass or ceramic surface. 